Joshua 4:7
in Joshua 4you are to tell them, ‘The waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters were cut off.’ Therefore these stones will be a memorial to the Israelites forever.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
then ye shall say unto them, Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of Jehovah; when it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.
KJV
Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.
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This verse in Joshua 4
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
They are the established means of perpetuating the memory of important transactions, especially among the nomadic people of the East. Although there be no inscription engraved on them, the history and object of such simple monuments are traditionally preserved from age to age.
This site's exposition
So Joshua summoned the twelve men
on Joshua 4:4-7
The reason for the pile is given before it exists, since a child will ask what the stones mean. The same shape stands at Exodus 12:26 and Deuteronomy 6:20, where the question comes from the child and the answer is a piece of history.
This site's exposition
these stones will be a memorial to the Israelites forever
No inscription was cut on the stones. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown note that uncarved piles were the usual way nomadic peoples kept an event in memory, with the story told beside them. The answer given in this verse is that story, fixed in advance.
The record, by era
The Reformation1 voice
And although as yet mention had been made only of twelve men, it is obvious from a short clause, that the divine command had been declared to the whole people; for it is said that the children of Israel obeyed the words of Joshua. Nay, it is even probable that deputies were elected by suffrage to carry the stones in the name of the whole people.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Then ye shall answer them,....
They would give occasion to the children to ask their parents in time to come, How came these stones hither? (probably the land about not being stony), and then the parents would inform them, as they themselves had been informed, that in this place Jordan was divided by the almighty power of God, to give Israel passage into Canaan, as Joshua enlarges on this head,
The words behind it
23 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֣ם | vaamartem | and you will say | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לָהֶ֗ם | lahem | to <the> them | ||
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| נִכְרְת֜וּ | nikhretu | they were cut off | H3772 → | 288 times |
| מֵימֵ֤י | meimei | [the] waters of | H4325 → | 581 times |
| הַיַּרְדֵּן֙ | haiyarden | the Jordan | H3383 → | 182 times |
| מִפְּנֵי֙ | mipenei | from before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| אֲר֣וֹן | ʾaron | [the] ark of | H727 → | 202 times |
| בְּרִית־ | berit- | [the] covenant of | H1285 → | 284 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| בְּעָבְרוֹ֙ | beavero | when passed on it | H5674 → | 556 times |
| בַּיַּרְדֵּ֔ן | baiyarden | in the Jordan | H3383 → | 182 times |
| נִכְרְת֖וּ | nikhretu | they were cut off | H3772 → | 288 times |
| מֵ֣י | mei | [the] waters of | H4325 → | 581 times |
| הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן | haiyarden | the Jordan | H3383 → | 182 times |
| וְ֠הָיוּ | vehayu | and they will become | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| הָאֲבָנִ֨ים | haavanim | the stones | H68 → | 273 times |
| הָאֵ֧לֶּה | haeleh | <the> these | H428 → | 746 times |
| לְזִכָּר֛וֹן | lezikaron | <into> a reminder | H2146 → | |
| לִבְנֵ֥י | livnei | to [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| עוֹלָֽם׃ | olam | perpetuity | H5769 → | 438 times |
וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֣םand you will say
vaamartemH559 →5305 times
לָהֶ֗םto <the> them
lahem
אֲשֶׁ֨רthat
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
נִכְרְת֜וּthey were cut off
nikhretuH3772 →288 times
מֵימֵ֤י[the] waters of
meimeiH4325 →581 times
הַיַּרְדֵּן֙the Jordan
haiyardenH3383 →182 times
מִפְּנֵי֙from before
mipeneiH6440 →2123 times
אֲר֣וֹן[the] ark of
ʾaronH727 →202 times
בְּרִית־[the] covenant of
berit-H1285 →284 times
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
בְּעָבְרוֹ֙when passed on it
beaveroH5674 →556 times
בַּיַּרְדֵּ֔ןin the Jordan
baiyardenH3383 →182 times
נִכְרְת֖וּthey were cut off
nikhretuH3772 →288 times
מֵ֣י[the] waters of
meiH4325 →581 times
הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ןthe Jordan
haiyardenH3383 →182 times
וְ֠הָיוּand they will become
vehayuH1961 →3559 times
הָאֲבָנִ֨יםthe stones
haavanimH68 →273 times
הָאֵ֧לֶּה<the> these
haelehH428 →746 times
לְזִכָּר֛וֹן<into> a reminder
lezikaronH2146 →
לִבְנֵ֥יto [the] people of
livneiH1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
עַד־until
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
עוֹלָֽם׃perpetuity
olamH5769 →438 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Exodus 12:14And this day will be a memorial for you, and you are to celebrate it as a feast to the LORD, as a permanent statute for the generations to come.
it leads to
- 2 Kings 23:21
The king commanded all the people, “Keep the Passover of the LORD your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant.”
- Exodus 12:24
And you are to keep this command as a permanent statute for you and your descendants.
- Exodus 13:9–10
It shall be a sign for you on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the Law of the LORD is to be on your lips. For with a mighty hand the…
- Exodus 12:17
So you are to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your divisions out of the land of Egypt. You must keep this day as a permanent statute…
- 1 Corinthians 5:7–8
Get rid of the old leaven, that you may be a new unleavened batch, as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
- 2 Kings 23:21
Through
Psalms 111:4He has caused His wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate.
it leads to
- Psalms 103:8
The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion.
- Isaiah 63:7
I will make known the LORD’s loving devotion and His praiseworthy acts, because of all that the LORD has done for us—the many good things for the house of Israel according to His great…
- Ephesians 1:6–8
to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the Beloved One.
- Psalms 103:8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Joshua
This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.